You must know that travel is a break from same bed to same bathroom to same wardrobe to same car to same office to same desk to same colleagues to same guard to same door to same living room and getting back to same bed. Phew! You have to consider travel as a blessing. Its then you will be able to experience few days of Nirvana. Trust me, there are more ways to make most out of it than you can think. But some things you must do and we have created a list of it.
Stories and Tales
Life is simple and at the same time it is mysterious. At some point of the life we all have wondered on how life was evolved, on how humans came into existence. Most of us always try to find the meaning of life throughout our lives and end up believing that it is the people in our lives that make life. If someone was to ask us, what is life? I think it’s a story well lived. Aren’t our lives like little stories, with every day like a page of that story. In short, that is what you must hunt for in your next trip. Still not sure what are we talking about. Then read further. Trust me every destination is full of people, and people are full of stories. Yes now you are getting at it.
In your upcoming trip make a mission of your holiday to hunt for stories and tales. Talk to as many people as you want, listen to them carefully, and enrich yourself with their stories. It could be how they met their life partner, it could be how they battled their meanest demons, it could be about a crazy trip. You can’t image how much you will be loved if you will have stories to retell.
Theater in a Folk Fair
It is said that the best way or let us say the easiest way to get a sneak peek into the culture and traditions of a place is through a good book or through a movie or through a play. These mediums will not just entertain you, but they will also enrich you with local customs, local dialect, local traditions and everything a person does in a day to day life. In your upcoming trip keep your eyes open for any intel on local theater in a folk fair. Yes if it is a part of folk fair then trust me the experience is going to be lot more interesting. Make a point that if you come across any such event, you got to attend it.
Big time academicians call it experiential learning, and we call it first hand knowledge about local customs. If you are visiting a country where people do not speak your local language, then worry not and try to tag yourself along with a local. If you do not get hands on befriending a local, then take any of friendly hotel staff for a free night out with you. They will also love it.
Make a friend
In this world the most beautiful relationship that a person can make is friendship. Friends are the only people that will not see your flaws, they will not see your social status, they will engage with you without having expected something in return, they will back you up in worst situations and they will have jolly celebrations with you in good times. Traveling with friends is one of the best mode to holiday,. but do not fret if your friends are busy in something else and cannot tag along with you on a holiday. In your upcoming vacation try making a friend in the destination you are travelling to.
It could be from hotel staff, it could be some one working in a souvenir shop, it could be another traveler who is in the destination on a trip. Trust me making a friend is the hidden code of travel and no one will tell you about them. The only catch here is that you got to make a friend for life. You cannot talk sweet with them and forget. You got to keep it alive, the friendship. Best part is that they will come without effort, point is just let them come.
Put on your thinking hats
In our day to day lives, we are always busy and we hardly get time to think about ourselves or our lives. Such thoughts are considered as a luxury by many of the people. At times there are things that do not get ample amount of time to be thought over, at times, when we get the time, the situation is not right, as you might be traveling in transit rail, or sitting on your toilet seat. This is something we all struggle with. In such cases travel can be a very good medium to think about life, and everything that happens to us. Yes, travel is not just about wearing comfy clothes and touring the historical places. It is much more than that.
It is during our vacations that we get all the time of the day to get into any kind of mindset. During vacations we have that luxury to set up our minds, in any direction that we want to. We can race our mind to any direction that we want to. During your upcoming travel, try to loosen up your mind, and think about things. You can use it as a opportunity to ponder over many tough decisions that you got to take.
A tip for something
In our normal lives we usually tip the restaurant staff based on the service they provide. The amount of money we are going to give will depend on how courteous they were, how gentle they were, on how deliberately they took our order, on how timely they were in serving us. But do not do that while you are travelling. Add a tang to this custom, after all vacations are one hell of an opportunity to go a little wild in our lives. Trust me this one is not just wild but a lot of fun too. If in your upcoming vacation you are visiting a restaurant, then don’t leave the restaurant without giving a tip on a condition that the staff person gives an awesome local insider tip.
Yes you heard that right, tip the restaurant staff on basis of the intel they provide you with. Of course by giving the tip you will also be honoring their service, but then that is the tang. This is a great way to know things that normally you won’t be able to. The best part about this bargain is that the restaurant staff will enjoy it too.
Sunrise and sunsets
Personally we don’t think that there would be any person in this world that will not have likeness towards natural beauty. Deep down we all are nature lovers, unless we are in our teenage days. Wait, even teenagers like nature. Thing must do thing goes especially if your destination has a beach or a mountain. The terrain is very important, however if it is a normal city, then try finding a spot in that city which is far from the concrete jungle. So if you are on a beach or mountain or away from urban settlements, then don’t forget to enjoy the sunrise and sunset. The panorama looks exquisitely beautiful at both times.
The best part is that when you will see the sun rising up or setting down the horizon, you will love the view. The hues of orange, or the hues of yellow during the sunrise or sunset is the thing you should watch out for. If you are sensitive to surroundings and lights (which most of us are), you will also feel a deep connect with them.
A flower is all you need
In our day to day lives, we become occupied with our mundane tasks to such an extent that our schedule becomes robotic. We tend to repeat things in the same order like we do every day. It becomes like a habit, a routine, or a pattern around which our lives revolve. Travel in such cases is a life saver. It breaks the monotony of things, and helps us see beyond. It is during our vacation that we get the liberty of doing things that we keep at bay in our normal lives. In your upcoming travel try to treat someone with a flower. No need of bulky bouquets, just a single piece of flower, but without expecting any returns.
It is a very common gesture, and we bet that you can get a flower very easily from a shop or from many of the plants that grow around in our cities. You will be surprised with reactions you will get. People will smile at the broadest, or the tough ones will give you a hug. Some might even take you along for a cup of coffee. The best part is that probably you will also earn a new friend.
Listen to your heart
Human behavior is very mysterious. We think different, we feel different, and we do something else, is how you can sum it up. At many times we restrain ourselves from doing things that our heart says. In day to day lives this makes sense, as we are bounded by our priorities of mundane task, but when we are travelling we can choose to do different. While travelling you need to worry about picking your kid from school, or need not to worry about completing a college assignment, but instead you can focus on what is at hand and do as your heart says. It could be hugging your tour guide for being friendly and for showing you a touristy spot very well.
It could be thanking the chef for amazing food that they made, in a restaurant or a cafe or at an eatery. It could be buying a pair of balloon for a kid who is being terribly bored at a tourist spot. It could be anything that your heart randomly tells you to do. Do it with a smile on your face. You can also take a selfie while doing so for memories. This will add joy to your trip.
Send the Post Card
There are some things in this world that cannot be replaced by technology. Even if their futility is replaced, then you cannot replace the original joy. For example people will always tend to travel, even if you offer then a Virtual Reality Headset with option explore any city in this world. They will insist on seeing and feeling it in person. The same applies with post cards. Yes you can choose to call me old fashioned, but Sending a postcard has its own charm. It might just be a piece of paper that can also get lost in those plethora of mails, which can also be dis-formed if it gets in touch with water. But eventually nothing can replace the joy of sending or receiving the post card.
In your upcoming trip send it to someone you haven’t talked for long. Send it to your ex. Send it to your siblings. Send it to your distant family member. Make it lively, by writing everything you feel about them and must that you miss them here. The joy this piece of paper will give them will be incomparable. They will hence become a part of your trip.
Plant a tree
No matter to what country you are going to, no matter which place you are visiting, if it is a historical place with lots of old walls, and ruined parts, you will always find some spots, where people would scribble their name, or the name of their love, or some smarties will scribble their phone number for anyone to contact them. If you are one of them, or have some distant similarities, then this one is for you. Instead of scribbling your name on a monument, or carving it on a tree. Plant a tree somewhere safe and place a stone with your name, along with a lovely message, besides it.
Yes that is the solution. Many people scribble their names on walls in order to become immortal along with that monument. They want everyone to see that hey i was here and you all are going to remember it. If this is the reason why you are doing this, then follow our advice. This small plant will grow with your identity and you can also return after ages to see how well it has grown.
Email Applications
Yes yes we all know that you all are very busy with your lives. There is work, there is business, there is family, there are friends, and there is a whole lot of world to catch up with. Most of the people in present times are glued to their cell phones. The busy ones will have email application opened, which we do not want you to. This tip is especially for Americans who start their days with checking their email inbox. Remember that you are on a vacation. All these emails can wait, but the precious time you are spending in this destination is never going to come back. If this doesn’t convinces you, then please delete the App for email from your mobile.
I know it is going to be hard and your hands are going to shake, but this is the best you can do to make your vacation a memorable one. During your vacation the last thing I want you people to be worried about is a business email that you have kept on top priority while thinking on what to respond. It is a true spoiler of all good things.
Flea Market
We highly recommend that what ever destination you visit, make it a point to visit their local markets. It might feel like that what different a market could have apart from clothes, food, or groceries, but it is the markets of the destinations where you will find true locals and true customs of the place. In your upcoming vacation, make it a point to visit a local flea market. You will find many cheap deals on local clothes, food, gift items and etc. etc. These markets are also best spots when it comes to buying handicrafts, and some artifacts that require craftsmanship. Flea markets are great spots when it comes to saving money ion shopping.
In these markets you might not get branded items, you might not get guarantee for a year or so, you might not get proper bills that you can save for some future exchange if you didn’t like the item. But trust me if you are in a coastal city and shopping for some beach wear to last the vacation, then a flea market is the best place to head to. Flea markets can surprise you with all they have to offer.
Books and the destination
If its a short trip, then don’t go for books. In short trips you should focus more on making the best of your time, and exploring the destination before the dates arrive of your departure. In short trips exceptions could be made if you are heading to beaches or to mountains, where you are bound to get space, and serenity to enjoy the books. But if this is a long laid back trip, and if you are a book worm, then stride in to a local bookstore, and buy a non-fiction by some reputable author which focuses on lives of that country and deals in its prominent issues. Yes this might not be the most interesting thing to read, but go for it.
Within a night’s time of read, you will be equipped with all the information about the social, economical, cultural problems of the destination. It is the topic that most of the people like to talk about. This will help you mingle with the locals. Trust me, every local will find you interesting the moment you start to talk about the problems of their country or the city.
Adventure sports is a go go
Slowly travel is becoming more about experiences, and the thrill that it has to offer. Gone are the days when thrill in travel was limited to horse riding by the beach, or boating in a lake city, or riding a toy train in some amusement park. In present times adventure sports is the benchmark when it comes to people seeking thrill. Make it a point that if your destination has adventure sports, don’t be shy of giving it a go. Many people do not engage in adventure sports, because they think it is risky, because they think that it is unconventional. But you do not join their league. Don’t think you are overweight for paragliding. It won’t come down with your weight.
If something can excite you, can enthrall you, can fill you with pump of energy, then that is what you should seek. There might be things you do not like, then opt for the other ones. If you do not like rafting, then go for mountaineering, or if you do not like gliding then go for a rope way. But the point being that experience the thrill, and make it as your opportunity to overcome your fears.
Walking tours are a good choice
Big cities of Europe, and some of the top tourist destinations around the world have something special for you, which goes by the name of Walking Tours. We especially mentioned Europe in this, because in most of the medieval towns of Europe, you will have a city center, a market square, a local market, a bell tower, cobble stoned streets all side by side. In such places where every touristy spot is close by, walking tours make a lot of sense. Do not just think that you will be a part of group of people led by some tour operator, walking in busy streets while gazing the monuments and spots that fall in line.
Walking tours are amazing activities that will make you feel like a local exploring the streets and walking by history with a person who knows it all. The thrills you are going to get by walking those streets is incomparable. It is only through the walking tours that you will get to know about the smaller details of the place. Plus you will also get awesome company of fellow travelers.
Public Transportation ride
When visiting any destination everyone is more interested in exploring the unseen version of that destination. Everyone wants to see and wants to know what is it that makes any destination different from the rest of this world. One way of doing so is by closely observing the architecture of the city. In such cases, when you want to admire the local architecture, see how streets are, how the crowd is, I recommend that you take a medium length random route on a public transportation. Do not take under ground transit rails, or the entire idea of taking this ride would go in vain. Prefer public buses, or trams, or transit rails that run above the ground.
Such public vehicles will take you through busiest and the most popular spots of the city. The route of such public transport vehicles are made in a way that it covers the busiest areas. By sitting on a seat by the window, you can get a better idea about the city than by visiting few spots that are on your itinerary. Plus you can also hop down where your heart feels.
Never stop following your heart!
